Nightmare
by loueylouey14
Summary: Set in the Quick Future. Beth experiences a horrible life event that changes her personality and it's all Quinn and Noah can do to see her happy again. First angst, so please don't be too mean, but I'll take suggestions and comments. Beth/Quinn/Puck/Future Family


_**Nightmare**_

**A/N: Dedicated to Muted Trumpet because they're the one who urged me to write an angst. This is my first one, so please be nice, but I'll take criticism.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, it belongs to Ryan Murphy.**

Beth's eyes fluttered closed then opened as she tried to focus in her Freshman Algebra class. Her teacher droned on and on about factoring or something else that Beth didn't care about when was suddenly interrupted by three loud pops coming from the hallway.

Beth jumped up and tried to center her thoughts on something. Everyone started screaming and yelling. Beth rubbed her eyes as tears sprung to them, she couldn't let anyone here see her cry. She was a Puckerman and needed to be brave like her father always told her.

The crackle of the announcement system quieted everyone down, "Code Red. I repeat, McKinley High School has been put under Code Red."

The vice principal's voice had been gone for just a second before Beth was being pushed into the corner of the room. The lights flicked off and Mrs. Michaels was trying to calm everyone while they fought to be farthest from the door.

When everyone was finally settled and soft sobs were heard across the room, Beth was able to register her surroundings. She was in the middle of the mob between her two best friends, Marcy and Jordan, who were both blinking back tears. The breath in Beth's throat stopped when she realized that her long time crush, Kyle, was crouched in front of her with silent tears running down his face.

And that's when Beth started to sob into oblivion.

Quinn Puckerman flitted around the living room of her two story home as she dusted off the pictures of her family. The school pictures of Beth (freshman), Liam (third grader), James (second grader), and Ariella (kindergartener). The wedding picture of her and Noah. The family portrait taken at Noah's younger sister's wedding just two months prior.

Quinn smiled at the memories that washed over her. Her family made her so happy and proud. She couldn't believe she was the mother to four wonderful children.

Quinn set down the duster and went into the kitchen where she started pulling out the food to prepare the fajitas they were going to have for dinner. She turned up her iPod stereo before turning to the stove to begin cooking the meat. Quinn sang along to every word, drowning out the sound of the tv in the living room that was now displaying an emergency alert signaling a school shooting.

Noah Puckerman grumbled to himself while turning up his iPod. It was his day off and Quinn was making him cut the grass. That was a Sunday job and it was Thursday. So what her sister was coming over for dinner tomorrow? She wouldn't care what their lawn looked like.

As Noah started the lawn mower and began going back and forth in the backyard, he didn't hear nor feel his phone ring and vibrate in his pocket. Noah didn't bother checking his phone for missed calls or texts like Quinn always told him to in case of emergency. His kids were in school and his wife was cooking inside. All were safe and sound.

Beth bit back her continuos sobs while she filed onto the bus behind Marcy. Why hadn't her dad answered his phone? He always answered, which was why Beth called him. Now her mom on the other hand, sometimes she was busy and couldn't always get to the phone, meaning if you called her and interrupted something, you were bound to get in trouble, which was why Beth didn't call her.

Marcy tried to calm Beth down the entire ride to their homes, "Beth, everything's going to be ok. No one died."

"But people got shot!" Beth yelled out, "That senior just took a gun out and started shooting! Plus, my dad never answered his phone!"

"Shh," Marcy gave a one-armed hug to Beth, "It's alright."

Beth choked out one last sob and wiped her eyes, "Fine, I'll shut up."

Marcy gave Beth a sympathetic smile and the two best friends fell into silence the rest of the way to Marcy's stop.

Quinn finished cooking the meat and turned down her iPod. Hopefully Ariella would eat tonight, she was starting to get picky, something Quinn found annoying while Noah found it amusing.

The tv beeped for the third time in the hour, only this time Quinn heard it. She walked into the living room to watch the news.

The news anchor started reexplaining the story of the school shooting. Saying how six were shot before the senior took his own life. Quinn bit her lip, it was such a sad story to listen to. She was about to turn off the television when the news anchor announced that McKinley High was getting let early out due to the shooting.

Quinn stopped breathing. Did this happen at McKinley? She watched the news anchor walk across the parking lot, once again telling the story. Quinn screamed. This could not be happening. Beth was there. What if she was hurt?

Quinn ran to where her cell phone was sitting on the counter and checked it for texts or missed calls. Nothing. Quinn dropped her phone in frustration. Why hadn't Beth called her?

Quinn made her way to the front porch and saw Noah still mowing the lawn.

"Noah!" she yelled.

He didn't hear her and continued walking up and down their grass.

Quinn ran out to him and promptly smacked his arm, "Noah Puckerman!"

Noah jumped in shock, turned off the lawn mower, and yanked his ear phones out, "What?"

"There was a shooting at McKinley. Six kids were shot before the boy killed himself. What if it was Beth? What if our baby's hurt?" Quinn sobbed and collapsed onto her husbands bare, sweaty chest.

Noah wrapped his arms around her slowly as he registered what his wife had just said. Beth was in a school shooting. His little girl, his first born, her life was put in danger.

Unconsciously, Noah reached into his shorts pocket to pull out his cell phone. He unlocked it to see he had four missed calls and five texts. All from Beth.

Noah breathed a sigh of relief, "Look Quinn. Q, our baby girl's ok. She called and texted me."

Quinn pulled back and took the phone with shaking hands, "Noah, she called you."

"Yeah," Noah nodded, "She's safe."

Quinn looked up at her husband of ten years and felt more anger towards him than ever before, "Our daughter calls you during a school shooting and you don't even bother answering the phone!"

Noah dodged Quinn's hands as they tried to do as much damage to him as possible, "I'm sorry! You know how I get when I mow the lawn! In addition to my music being on, I couldn't hear my phone! Quinn! Stop hitting me!"

Quinn fell against Noah once more in another fit of sobs, "I need her Noah. I need my Beth now."

At that moment, a yellow school bus pulled onto their street and drove to the corner, just two houses away. The Puckerman parents fell into a silence as the door opened and Beth slowly walked down the steps, tear tracks staining her pretty face.

At the sight of her mom and dad, Beth broke into a run, "Mom! Daddy!" she screamed, dropping her backpack and purse onto the neighbor's lawn.

Noah caught Beth in his arms and held her tight against his chest. Beth ignored her dad's sweaty skin, instead just added to the wetness with her open cries. Quinn hugged Beth from behind and sobbed into her hair.

After a few minutes, Quinn pulled back and tried to calm herself as she went to retrieve Beth's backpack and purse. Noah carefully picked Beth up into his arms and carried her into their home.

Once inside, Noah set Beth down on the couch and crouched in front of her, "Baby, what happened?"

"I was so scared," Beth sobbed.

Quinn came and sat next to her daughter, wrapping her in a hug, "Do you need anything?"

Beth nodded and cried more into her mom's shoulder.

Noah put a hand on Beth's knee, "What is it? What do you need?"

Beth hiccuped and sat up, "Some water and...and," she started crying again.

Quinn smoothed back Beth's hair, "Shh, we'll get it, whatever it is, just tell us."

"A hug from my mom and dad," Beth sobbed while looking at the ground with a small blush on her cheeks.

Noah chuckled and pulled Beth and Quinn against him, "Of course we'll give you a hug."

Quinn kissed the top of Beth's curly blonde hair, "I love you, baby girl."

"I love you too," Beth whispered.

Quinn laid on her back on her bed. Why did this have to happen to Beth? They were barely able to get through dinner without her crying. And how are you supposed to explain to your five year old that kids were shot at her big sister's school which is why she's so sad?

Noah walked slowly in the room and laid next to Quinn, "The kids are all asleep. Liam asked me if Beth will ever get better, though. I didn't know what to say."

"She will," Quinn whispered, "In time."

Noah let out a sigh and wrapped his arms around Quinn, so her back was against his chest, "I just hope sooner than later, I hate seeing her this sad."

"I know," Quinn breathed.

Their door slowly opened and both parents looked up to see the silhouette of their oldest child standing in the hallway light.

"Mom," Beth's voice was barely audible.

"Yes, honey?" Quinn sat up.

Beth's toe poked at the piece of carpet that stuck up in the doorway that Noah refused to fix, "Can I sleep in here tonight?"

Quinn turned her head just slightly to meet her husband's gaze. Her heart almost broke when she saw him chewing his lip and staring at their daughter intently, as if begging her to be happy again.

"Of course," Quinn breathed, still looking at Noah.

Beth made her way to the king sized bed and heaved herself up. Noah rolled slightly to the side so Beth could put herself between her parents. Once settled against her mom's side, her dad's arm tucked protectively around her waist, Beth fell asleep. Her soft breathing filled the room as both Quinn and Noah stayed silent, listening to their daughter in her first peaceful state of mind since she had come home.

"Q?" Noah whispered.

"Yeah?" Quinn whispered back.

"She's not going back there, I won't allow it," Noah's strong voice said.

"Noah, you can't keep her away from fear forever," Quinn told him.

"Do you see her?" Noah asked, still watching Beth sleep, "_Did_ you see her? Quinn, I haven't seen her this broken since my sister's dog died and that didn't even effect her directly. This did, so she's probably going to upset for a longer time."

Quinn sighed and reached out to brush a stray curl away from Beth's mouth, "She'll be ok in time. At least school has been canceled tomorrow. That will give her time to recover by Monday."

Noah groaned, but remained quiet as he thought up a plan to fix his daughter until he fell asleep three hours later.

Quinn was awake as long as Noah, if not longer. She prayed to God that Beth will get past this. That the children that were in the hospital because of this would end up safe and sound after their recovery. But most of all, she prayed that her daughter will be happy again and she will be able to see her smiling face once again.

Beth cried Sunday night for the first time since Thursday afternoon when she realized she would be going to school tomorrow.

Noah and Quinn fought long into the night over whether Beth should attend school or not the next day. Both of their point of views changing every once in a while, making the whole decision that much harder.

Quinn picked Beth up early Monday morning when the school had called her saying Beth was refusing to leave the bathroom and was sobbing uncontrollably.

Beth didn't talk the entire ride home...or the rest of the night for that matter. The only time her voice was heard was when she asked not to go to school the next day.

Noah stayed home that Thursday so Quinn could finally go back to work. Beth had been stubborn on not going to school, even resorting to making herself sick to avoid the prospect of going back to where a shooting had occurred.

When Noah walked Ariella down to the bus stop, he tried to focus on the five year old's continuos chatter and not the 14 year old barely watching the television that was on in her room back at his house.

It was when Noah and Ariella were finally at the bus stop and were just waiting for the ride and the father finally tuned in.

"Daddy, when will Beth laugh again? I was making silly faces at her all morning, but she didn't even smile. Mommy said I had to let Beth be. But what does that mean? Let Beth be what? Sad? Daddy, I want Beth happy," Ariella announced.

Noah blinked his eyes to try and rid them of the tears that were brought there by his youngest's words. He knelt down to her level, "Beth is gonna be ok. She's just upset and scared right now, but she will laugh and smile again at your silly faces."

"Pinky promise?" Ariella held out her tiny finger.

Noah chuckled and intertwined their pinkies, "Promise."

The bus pulled up and with one last hug and kiss, Ariella skipped up and into her seat where she waved one last time to her dad.

Noah started the short walk home. Everything was going to be ok and his promise to Ariella was going to turn out true. She would hear Beth laugh again and the sooner the better.

Beth was able to return to school the following Monday. She threw herself into her school work to get back on schedule. Her already high grades started going up even farther, something that not only made Quinn happy, but nervous as well. She didn't want Beth to overwork herself just to avoid any upsetting thoughts.

That Wednesday, Beth laughed for the first time during dinner when James had spilt his chocolate milk all over his dad's new white shirt. Despite being angry at his son, Noah couldn't help but laugh at the bell sound that Beth produced.

Quinn couldn't help but smile when she heard Beth once again singing in the shower that Saturday morning. Liam asked why his mom was smiling, only to get the answer of sudden happiness that he just rolled his eyes at.

Within a month, Beth was back to normal acting as if the event never happened. The Puckerman home returned to its old state of music and laughter. The shooting just a bump in the road that they never bothered looking at again.

**A/N: Did you like it? I'm happy with how it turned out, proud actually as seeing this is the first angst I've ever written. Should I do another? Just say the word and I'll try to find time. PLEASE REVIEW! I'd love to hear what you think!**


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